Dana Mathewson

And people need their spirits lifted these days, what with "social distancing" and all that stuff. This is a neat article!

Italian tenor Maurizio Marchini serenaded his neighbors on Friday with Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" during what his wife characterized as a community "flash mob" as the country remains under a mass quarantine order due to the coronavirus contagion.

Marchini and his wife, Chiara Bagnoli, joined "The Daily Briefing" on Monday to discuss the impromptu concerto and how the country was faring overall.

"Music can lift spirits, and now there are many people who are suffering," Marchini said in Italian. "Not only the people who have these viruses, but also all the people who are helping them."

Bagnoli, who acted as her husband's translator,said Maurizio is trying to help his community through the situation the best way he can.

"The idea came from the flash mob, which we did not organize.We don’t know who did," said Bagnoli. "There was a flash mob on Friday [evening]. The idea was to go out on our balconies, the terraces and the gardens and make some music all together."

The couple said they had lost trackof how long the city has been quarantined. Italy had nearly 28,000 cases of the virus and more than 2,100 deaths as of Monday afternoon.

"I am kind of a couch potato so I don't mind being at home -- but it is difficult not to go out," Bagnoli added."We hope it will pass soon."

Yes, we all do, and for those of us who are cooped up, being serenaded like this could be wonderful. https://www.foxnews.com/media/coronavirus-italy-tenor-sings-quarantined-neighbors

I have a personal experience with this aria (singing it, in fact) that I won't share on this forum. It is a wonderful aria, as are most, if not all, of Puccini's tenor arias. And for those of you who don't like opera, well, all I can say is I'm sorry for you.

Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at March 17, 2020 06:20 AM (TNNAg)

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